Pryor and Morrow currently holds the contract for the design work and is nearly finished with a design. Supervisors are expected to decide if they will move forward with that design at the Aug. 20 meeting.

"We've got a lot to talk about," McKay said Monday.

Supervisors may also choose to make changes to the Pryor and Morrow design or switch companies altogether.

In June, Supervisors McKay, Melton Harris Jr. and Troy Ross voted to allow companies time to present alternate proposals for the multimillion-dollar jail, saying it could lead to savings for taxpayers.

As the Pryor and Morrow design has progressed, the price tag on the brick-and-mortar building has climbed to nearly $30 million. That jail would be 142,154 square feet and have 828 beds.

McKay said the issue is further complicated by upcoming federal requirements for more day rooms in jails and rape prevention programs.

Last month, the four presenting firms said their new designs could cost between $23 million and $36 million.

The cheapest options were a hub-and-spoke composite dome structure proposed by PB-Heery and a smaller-than-requested cinder block jail proposed by Kaybeau Development.

Goldberg, Sullivan and McCrerey Architects & Planners pitched a modular steel cell jail that would cost about $29.5 million, while Clemons, Rutherford & Associates suggested a precast concrete and steel cell jail that would cost $26 million to $36 million.